Antigua Canción
todos llevamos
en el pecho
una canción
tan antigua
que no sabemos
si la aprendimos
cualquier noche
entre el rumor
de besos caídos
nuestros labios
nos sorprenden
al entonar
esta canción
que es canto y llanto
a la vez
Translator’s Glossary
|
WORD
|
DEFINITION
|
POSSIBLE SYNONYMS
|
|---|---|---|
| a la vez (idiomatic expression) | immediately, simultaneously | at the same time, at once |
| al (prep. + art.) | expressing purpose or intention for one or more people or things already mentioned or assumed | to the, in |
| antigua (adj.) | having the characteristics or showing the signs of age | old, ancient, aged, ancestral, time-honored, age-old, old-time, familiar |
| aprendimos (v.) | from the verb aprender, meaning to acquire knowledge of something by study, experience, or being taught | we learned, we acquired a knowledge of, we mastered, we became proficient |
| besos (n.) | touch of the lips in a kiss | kisses |
| caídos (v.) | move downward, typically rapidly and freely without control, from a higher to a lower level | fallen |
| canción (n.) | a short poem or other set of words set to music or meant to be sung | song, melody, tune, ballad |
| canto (n.) | musical sounds with the voice, especially words with a set tune | singing, crooning |
| cualquier (adj.) | used to emphasize a lack of restriction in selecting one of a definite set of alternatives | whichever, any |
| de (prep.) | expressing the relationship between a part and a whole | of |
| el (art.) | used to make a generalized reference to something rather than identifying a particular instance | the |
| en (prep.) | expressing the situation of something that is or appears to be enclosed or surrounded by something else | in, inside, within, surrounded by, enclosed by |
| entonar (v.) | repeating a rhythmic and/or lyrical phrase by singing | chanting, singing, intoning, resonating |
| entre (prep.) | at, into, or across the space separating two objects | between, amid, amidst |
| es (v.) | from the verb ser and is the third person singular present tense of “to be” | is |
| esta (adj.) | used to identify a specific person or thing close at hand or being indicated or experienced | this |
| la (pron.) | used to refer to a thing previously mentioned or easily identified | it |
| labios (n.) | either of the two fleshy parts that form the upper and lower edges of the opening of the mouth | lips |
| llanto (n.) | a fit or spell of shedding tears | weeping, crying, wailing |
| llevamos (v.) | from the verb llevar, meaning to support the weight of something or assume or accept responsibility or blame | carry |
| no sabemos (adv. + v.) | no (a negation) used with a form of the verb saber that means to be absolutely certain or sure about something | we don’t know, we aren’t aware, we aren’t conscious of, we don’t perceive |
| noche (n.) | the period of darkness between one day and the next; the time from sunset to sunrise | night, nighttime, hours of darkness, nightfall |
| nos (pron.) | used by a speaker to refer to him- or herself and one or more other people | us |
| nuestros (pron.) | of or related to ourselves | our |
| pecho (n.) | the front surface of a person or animal—between the neck and the abdomen | chest |
| que (conj.) | used to introduce a new clause | that |
| rumor (n.) | words spoken softly using one's breath without one's vocal cords | whisper, murmur |
| si (prep.) | despite the possibility that | if, whether |
| sorprenden (v.) | from the verb sorprender, meaning to cause astonishment or amazement | surprise, astonish, amaze, startle |
| tan (adv.) | to such a great extent | so |
| todos (pron.) | every person | everyone, everybody, we all |
| una (art.) | a single person or thing | a |
| y (conj.) | used to connect words of the same part of speech, clauses, or sentences that are to be taken jointly | and |
Artistic Elements
I. About tercets
A tercet is a three-lined verse, or a group, or unit of three lines. These three lines are often rhymed together, or they rhyme with another triplet. It has a flow of words as rolling waves.
Types of Tercet
1. Haiku
Haiku is a Japanese type of tercet. It is a three-line poem based usually on nature, and follows five-seven-five syllable counts. It means the first line contains five, the second seven, and the third line five syllables.
2. Triplet
A triplet has three rhymed lines in each stanza. Its rhyme scheme is AAA.
3. Enclosed or Sicilian Tercet
An enclosed or Sicilian tercet uses a rhyme scheme of ABA. In simple words, the first and third lines rhyme together and enclose a rhyming middle line. This tercet adds the challenge of using iambic pentameter. It means each line uses ten syllables with emphasis on each second syllable.
4. Villanelle
Another type of triplet which uses five tercets and one quatrain. It follows the rhyme scheme as: A1 b A2 / a b A1 / a b A2 / a b A1 / a b A2 / a b A1 A2.
5. Terza Rima
Terza rima is one of the most challenging types of tercet. It usually follows iambic pentameter with rhyme scheme of ABA BCB CDC. This is a complicated rhyme scheme that binds stanzas together in which the second line in each stanza rhyme with the next tercet.
Bio
A prolific writer for adults and children, Francisco X. Alarcón was born in Los Angeles, California. When he was six years old, he moved with his family to Guadalajara, Mexico but returned to California when he was eighteen to attend college. He wrote in English and Spanish, and his work celebrates life, bilingualism, and Mexican/Chicano culture. Songs his grandmother sang to him as a young boy inspired much of his poetry. Tradition, culture, and heritage were very important to Alarcón. He explained, “I carry my roots with me all the time—rolled up—I use them as my pillow.”